AMBALA: Despite strict instructions from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) related to increasing air pollution amid Covid-19 pandemic, the Ambala city municipal corporation (MC) and district administration failed to check the burning of garbage, plastic waste by its sanitation workers and residents and also the mechanical and industry waste in the motor market and industrial areas.
During a round of the city areas in Ambala on Friday, a large number of people were caught on camera while burning waste in open resulting in the release of dense black smoke in violation of the laid norms.
Some mechanics were caught burning mechanical waste in Motor Market area on GT Road, in Ambala City. Industrial waste was caught being burnt along the nullah near Peer Dargah in the industrial area, Manmohan Nagar, Ambala. A resident was also caught burning garbage in open in Jasmeet Nagar area of Baldev Nagar, Ambala City.
The fire incidents were brought to the knowledge of the concerned sanitation inspector of Ambala city MC, who assured of taking action.
The matters being burnt include hazardous plastic, industrial, mechanical and domestic waste.
On one side, following an increase in air pollution and the NGT orders, the Haryana government has instructed district administrations to ban use and sale of firecrackers up to November 30, but its civic bodies have failed to check the burning of waste in their jurisdictions, said the Ambala city residents.
As per the bulletin of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) of Ambala has remained in 'poor' category recording a regular increase in the index value i.e. 258 on November 10; 274 on November 11; and 295 on November 12, with particulate matter (PM) of 2.5.
Ambala does not have any garbage processing plant and in the absence of it, the civic body is struggling to manage the waste.
Moreover, the door-to-door garbage collection service is suspended from past nearly one year now.
Ambala based advocate Rohit Jain, who is also a leader of Congress party said, "The garbage and waste is being burnt all over the city and the MC officials have failed to tackle this menace. The residents cannot go out in the morning or evening for walk or jogging due to air pollution. This is the situation of home district of Haryana's urban local bodies’ minister.”
“With regards to air pollution and garbage burning by sanitation workers, we had filed a public utility services case at permanent lok adalat, Ambala in November 2019. The court awarded the decision against the MC and Ambala administration and it is in process of execution. In the upcoming MC elections, the ruling party will be contesting on the achievement of destruction rather than development”, added advocate Rohit.
Onkar Singh of Ambala, a leader of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) said, "The government has banned the firecracker after collecting license fee from the traders a few days before Diwali and it is registering cases against persons found selling and using the same. But it is completely ignoring the MC sanitation workers who are setting the garbage on fire in the open regularly. Stringent laws are being passed to penalize farmers for setting crop residue on fire but why industries, sanitation workers are and other violators are being spared."
Atul Ahuja of Sector 7, Ambala city a supporter of BJP said, "The government has improved the infrastructure and the participation and awareness of residents is equally important in keeping the city pollution-free. The dustbins have been placed but what if the garbage is not being dumped into them by the residents."
Ambala city MC executive officer (EO) Virender Saharan said, "We have issued strict instructions to the sanitation workers of not to set the garbage on fire. If anybody sets the garbage or waste on fire in city area, we have provision of issuing fines to the violators as per norms."
Ambala district municipal commissioner (DMC) Parth Gupta remained incommunicado.